FUUAST entry test | Karachi medical colleges

FUUAST entry test on Jan 2
Karachi, Dec 31: Registrar, Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology (FUUAST), Prof.
Dr Qamar-ul-Haq, has announced that the National Testing Services (NTS)
test would be held on January 2 in the NED University for
admission-2011 in FUUAST.

The NTS test would be held at 8:00am
for BBA and MBA on January 2 in the NED University, while the test for
B.SCS and Pharm D will be held at 1:00pm the same day.

As many as
595 candidates would attend the NTS test for BBA, while 369 for MBA,
227 for BSC/BS (Computer Science) and 369 candidates for Pharm D.

This year FUUAST would give admission in Department of Geology and Commerce on merit basis instead entry test. The news

Concern over another medical varsity plan
Karachi: A move reportedly enjoying the blessings of the presidency for the creation of a
medical university by curtailing units of the first public sector
health science university in the city has raised concerns among medical
professionals and students.

The quarters concerned said at a meeting that at a time when the
Sindh government had yet to commission a medical university/college
project in Lyari despite a presidential declaration made about two years
back, the latest move to give yet another public sector university to
the city by bifurcating the existing medical institutions would yield
nothing but an administrative mess.

According to a source in the Sindh health department, a meeting of
medical and administrative bosses was held after a directive of the
president for the creation of a medical university. During the meeting,
the principal secretary to the president told the participants that the
president wanted to upgrade the Sindh Medical College (SMC), a
constituent of the Dow University of Health Sciences, to a public-sector
medical university and a document might be prepared to seek the grant
of a university charter by the provincial government.

The creation of a new medical university has been proposed by a group
of alumni who have connections with old students and have come up with a
working paper seeking a go-ahead from the stakeholders.

Since the issue was of complex nature, particularly due to a proposal
that the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) and two other
federal government-run institutions should also be made constituents
parts of, or affiliated with, the proposed university, it was agreed
that more meetings on the issue would be held in the future.

According to a source privy to the meeting, the issue of naming the
proposed university was also discussed. Some participants wanted it to
be named Sindh Medical University, some others suggested it could be
Jinnah Sindh Medical University.

In the meantime, after a joint meeting of the academic and
administrative councils and heads of units of the JPMC, the federal
government hospital issued a statement, saying that the medical
institution was eminently qualified for a transformation into a
university, and that its long-standing related demand be met.

The statement signed by the JPMC's executive director, Prof Tasnim
Ahsan, on Thursday said that it was incorrect to say that the medical
centre was becoming a constituent part of the proposed university.

"The meeting convened on December 28, 2010, which was chaired by
Salman Farooqui, principal secretary to the president, did not come to
any conclusion regarding this matter. The future of the JPMC will be
decided after its case has been presented in the Implementation
Commission constituted by the prime minister and comprising
representatives of the National Assembly and Senate," the statement
said.

It was also stated that the JPMC's unanimous demand for retaining its
federal status with autonomy to manage its own affairs for the
promotion of patient care service, medical education, training and
research should be fulfilled.

"JPMC also reiterates with vigour its longstanding quest for transfer
to Jinnah University of Health Sciences, for which the institution is
eminently qualified. The JPMC has the proud legacy of having been lent
the name Jinnah by the Father of the Nation himself. No change of this
name would be acceptable to the institution or the nation at large," the
statement added.

The Sindh Medical College was established in 1973 in the compound of the Jinnah

Postgraduate Medical Centre. The college established during the
tenure of first PPP government was the second medical college in Karachi
after the Dow Medical College.

The first batch of students started attending their classes in a
building that was once the obstetrics/ gynecology ward of the JPMC,
originally an army barracks built in 1865and was handed over to the JPMC
in 1959.

The SMC was initially affiliated with the University of Karachi. It was made a constituent part of the DUHS seven years back.

Since the SMC does not have any attached teaching hospital, its
students receive their clinical training in three federal government-run
institutions â€"â€" the JPMC, the National Institute of Child Health,
and the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases.

When contacted, DHUS Prof Masood Hameed Khan said there was nothing
in writing that the university would have to surrender the SMC for the
realisation of the proposed Sindh Medical University.

In the meantime, students said that they had started approaching the
high-ups in the university as they understood the SMC was being
separated from the DUHS and made into a separate university.

"I and many other students of the SMC would like to inform the
decision-makers that we are not in favour of the proposal. We had sought
admission to SMC because of the reputed name of the DUHS. We do not
want to be deprived of an MBBS degree of the DUHS," a student told the
administration concerned.

Postponement of interviews for MBBS admissions criticised
Quetta: The Baloch Students Action Committee has criticised postponement of interviews for
candidates who have passed the entry test for admission in the Bolan
Medical College.

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, BSAC chairman Abu Bakar
described the decision as an anti-student policy and asked the college
administration to hold the interviews of successful candidates without
delay.

He said that 217 students, who had passed the NTS (National Testing
Service) test, were asked by the college to appear before a committee
for interview on Dec 28. But it announced the postponement of interviews
on Dec 25, creating problems for the candidates, particularly women,
who had come to Quetta for the interview from far-flung areas of the
province.

Mr Abu Bakar said that the students were facing difficulties in the
chilly weather as many had no place to stay till the next date of
interviews which had not been announced.

He said that it was a matter of concern that interviews had been
postponed because of non-availability of the chairman of Public Service
Commission Balochistan.

In other provinces, he added, the PSC chairman was not included in the interview committee of any medical college.

Protest against SALU official
Khairpur: Members of Pahore community and relatives of Qurban Ali Pahore who burnt himself
on Dec 28 took out a procession from Panj Gulla chowk to the press club
here on Thursday.

They raised slogans against the university administration and
demanded registration of a case against the officers concerned of Shah
Abdul Latif University (SALU) of Khairpur who were involved in removing
temporary shop of Qurban Ali where he used to sell hens. Talking to
reporters, Allah Dino Pahore, a leader of the Pahore community, and
others said that the said place was not property of the university
because there was already a boundary wall around the university
premises. The administration had removed his source of income without
any reason or notice, they said.

Qurban Ali used to sell hens near the gate of Wapda SCARP colony
which did not come into the university premises, they said and vowed to
continue the protest till registration of FIR.

They said they were the supporters and voters of the PPP for a long
time but no official from government side had paid any attention to the
injustice meted out to Qurban.

On the day of incident, they said, police high-ups and DCO of
Khairpur Mohammad Abbas Baloch had held out assurance that an FIR would
be lodged against the university administration and they would pay
compensation for the loss suffered by Qurban Ali and build a shop at
same place for him. But 48 hours had passed and there was no response.

They said that Qurban Pahore had been referred from the Civil
Hospital of Khairpur to Karachi hospital due to absence of a burns ward
there. He is in critical condition.

Qurban Ali burnt himself by sprinkling petrol after the university
administration with the help of police removed his shop by terming it
encroachment. According to doctors, he received more than 50 per cent
burn injuries.

Media coordinator of SALU said that there was a girls' hostel near
the said place and the university administration held a meeting with the
district administration in which it was decided to remove encroachments
from that place.

DCO Khairpur Abbas Baloch said that he had given aid of Rs50,000 for
medical treatment of the victim when he was referred to Karachi. Dawn

Book fair begins at AIOU
Islamabad: Academic Staff Association (ASA) and Central Library, Allama Iqbal Open
University (AIOU), have jointly arranged a three-day Book Fair at AIOU
from Thursday to Saturday.

More than 12 booksellers displayed
their books of different disciplines in the fair. Inaugurating the fair,
AIOU Vice Chancellor Professor Nazir Ahmed Sangi appreciated the ASA
for always trying to initiate the positive and constructive activities
at AIOU. He asked the academicians to visit each stall and recommend
books related to their disciplines, programmes and courses for the
central library. He also acknowledged the efforts of central library.

The
vice chancellor visited the stall and also selected books for the
library. ASA President Dr. Iqbal Shah said that they would continue such
type of activities at AIOU to play our role for the progress of AIOU in
the country. The news